Technologies

Nearly 150 years ago, a physics professor advised the young Max Planck against studying physics on the grounds that "almost everything in science has already been explored, and all that remains is to fill in a few insignificant gaps." A few years later, this certainty was shattered - with the development of quantum theory by Max Planck. Just as with the discovery of quantum physics, we must remain open to future breakthroughs. True innovation requires creativity, inventiveness, and openness. What has not yet been thought of is therefore not yet unthinkable.

Photovoltaics is an example of how rapidly a new technology can develop in a very short time. But yesterday's successes must not be allowed to prevent tomorrow's breakthroughs. “Leap innovations” are characterized by their disruptive power: they fundamentally change an existing market, create a new market, or solve important technological, social, and ecological problems.

The fact that we must always keep our finger on the pulse of technology is also demonstrated by inventions in other areas such as GPS, fiber optics, or smartphones.